


in the new light we will meet

by lyresea



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-25
Updated: 2015-05-25
Packaged: 2018-04-01 05:05:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4006906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lyresea/pseuds/lyresea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Andrew Garner does Natasha's intake evaluation for SHIELD.</p>
            </blockquote>





	in the new light we will meet

She isn’t hiding. This isn’t hiding, because Natalia Romanova does not hide. She lurks in the shadows, waiting for her prey, ready for her moment to lash out and strike.

She does not hide like a scared little mouse.

“You know, they shut the air vents when they decided you would be staying in this room.”

Natalia looks down through the hole in the ceiling. A tall black man gazes up at her. He holds up his hand in greeting, then looks along the ceiling.

“Crawl further than thirty feet and you’ll end up trapped between two walls. I hope you’re not claustrophobic.”

She considers him, then grabs hold of the edge of the vent, tucking herself into a ball. She lowers herself, folding out and landing lightly on her feet. She straightens up, pulls her shoulders back. “I am not.” She faces him. “You are the shrink, yes? Come to shrink my brain?”

“Psychologist, actually. But I suppose in a manner of speaking. Dr Andrew Garner, at your service.”

He bows ever so slightly at her, and she furrows her eyebrows in return. He tugs over the chair from the corner of the room, and brings it towards the centre, sitting on it and staring evenly at her. She remains standing.

“Would you prefer Natalia? Or Ms Romanova?”

She lifts her left shoulder, shakes her head, doesn’t indicate either way.

“Okay, Natalia, I’m Andrew. From my understanding, you have decided to defect to SHIELD. I am here to assist in your intake, evaluate your state of mind. I believe you have been informed.”

He folds his hands together and looks at her, expectantly. She frowns at him, then nods, just once. Yes, she had been told.

“Why you?” she suddenly asks.  “I’m sure there are many shr–“ she pauses, smiles sardonically, corrects herself, “psychologists in this place that can evaluate me. Why did they send you? Just that good, are you?”

The psychologist tilts his head. “Clint Barton asked – a special favour. He can be very persuasive. But I’m sure that you are well aware of that,” he says, raising his eyebrows at her.

“An arrow aimed at your head from point-blank range can be very persuasive, yes.”

He lets that one go. “I did his intake,” Andrew shrugs. “I guess he likes me.”

She watches him carefully, and slowly shakes her head. “That’s not all.”

He glances to the side and a wry grin spreads across his face. “I suppose he may believe that I have a certain amount of experience dealing with people with a similar… skillset.”

“Similar skillset? What, spies? Assassins. Murderers. People who kill people and don’t even blink?”

“I’ve heard the stories, Natalia. I don’t believe that you don’t blink.”

Natalia laughs. “Then your stories must be mistaken.”

“We know about the hospital.”

Her laughter flees and she freezes. She swallows deeply as he contemplates her calmly. She glares back and stalks towards him.

“So who is she?” she asks, widening her stance and staring down at him. Her muscles tense in preparation, in threat. He should know her body language; let it remind him who she was.  “Your ‘skillset’. An asset? A friend, a sister?” She leans in close, looks him down, and whispers to his ear, “Long-lost lover left in a port?”

He laughs. It’s low and throaty and warm all at once. “My wife.”

“Your wife.” Her muscles fall loose and Natalia steps back, clasping her hands behind her back. Why would he mention a weakness like that? He has to know how dangerous she is.

“I have many clients in this field, but I suspect that’s who he really means.”

Natalia spins away from him, towards the wall, and then collapses on to her bone-thin bed. She swings her feet up onto the mattress, then tucks her hands behind her head. She stares in silence at the ceiling for nearly ten minutes, and Andrew the psychologist just  _lets her._

Finally, she sighs. “I am tired, Andrew. I wish to stop for today.”

He waits for a moment, then nods and stands. The chair scrapes along the ground as he pushes it back to the corner. “I’m told they’ll be starting your debriefing tomorrow. I’ll come by after dinner to check on you.”

His shoes squeak against the floor as he turns towards the door.

“Andrew?” she calls and glances over. He pauses with his hand on the doorjamb.

“I would like it if you would call me Natasha.”

He turns his head and gazes at her steadily, then nods again and smiles.

“Okay, Natasha.”


End file.
